Gramophone



Oct. 16, 1923. 1,470,812

' A. F. R. COTTON GRAMOPHONE Filed aan. 29. 1920 5 sheets-shet 2 dwf/TFR Cattery'.

Oct. 16 1923.

A. F. R; COTTON GRAMOPHCNE Filed Jan. 29. 1920 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ufenof A M fm @Y 7a/mw@ Patented Get. 16, 1923.

' .GRAMOPHONE rATENromcs.

ARTHUR FREDERICK RICHMOND COTTON, or LONDON, ENGLAND.

Application filed January 29, 1920. ferialNo. 354,901.

T all whom t mag/concern.' y

Be it known that I, ARTHUR FRnDDnioK RICHMOND COTTON, asubjectV of the King of England, residing at London, England, have 6 invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gramophones, ofwhich the following isa specification.

This invention relates to gramophones and the like, and has for object to enable y the whole or part of a record to be repeated automatically as often as desired. i Further,

such repetition can by means of this invention take place without objectionable interi ruption in the continuity of action. rl`he invention is especially intended to apply to instruments playing dance-music, but may of course be employed for records-Of any description.

In accordance with this invention, there 1s electrically operated, which at the conclu-l sion of the record, or of the particular part or passage, automatically transfers thereproducing mechanism back to the beginning of the record, 0r ofthe part or passage, which is to be repeated. The `transfer, and the resettingof the reproducing mechanism are controlled by adjustable stops or the like, whereby these operations Vmay be regulated in relation to thel position of the passage or record upon the disc or the like.

Duringjthe transfer of the reproducer back to the earlier point in the recordthe needle is raised from contact with the .ref

volving record disc the returning device'becoming operative only as a result of such raising of the needle. Theneedleand its supporting soundbox or the complete t'onearm, may be lifted electrically, by an adjustable stop at the end ofthe Vrecord or of the portion required, and bev reset yby a further'` adjustable stop at the commencement of ,the record or passage,causing the 'neefdle'to"l be replaced in Operative position on the record. Y

The invention is hereafter more' fully de? scribed with reference tothe accompanyingl Figure 1 is a partial plan view of a gramophone` provided with the present invention. f c

Y Figure 2 vis an elevation of the same in part section. L l

`Figure 8 isan enlarged detail of" the stop which determines the starting point.

provided a mechanical' device preferably` Figure 4 is a similar view of the ysecond stop, which controls the point 0f repetition.y

FigureV 5 is a detail of the magnetic device for raising the needleduring the return to the starting point.

Figure 6 represents an alternative arrangement for raising'the needle.'

Figure 7 is a dia ram of the electrical connections employed.

Figure 8 represents diagrammatically the use 0f an electric motor for controlling buzzers.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the several elementsof the device showing the electrical circuit wiring employed.

Referring to these drawings, there is mounted upon the stationary base or boX a supporting the rotary table b carrying the record disc 0, a horizontalguide bar al which lies substantially at right angles to the general direction of thetone arm e, andbelow the latter, so that as the arm e travels `during the playing of the record, it moves from a position above the guide bar and near one end` of the same to a similar position above andV towards the other end of the bar.

The guide bar carries two upstanding brackets 7 g, which are adjustable in position, being held on the guide bar by suitable means such as leaf-.springs la, frictionally engaging the bar, and guide-pins h sliding in a central slotd to prevent swivelling of the brackets.

The adjustable bracket f is adapted to determine the starting point of the record or passage and is provided with a contact f whereby an electrical circuit normally closed upon the insulated contact f4 of the bracket f and guide bar ci may be yopened by a contact-member or striker e" upon the tone'- arm c as the latter is `moved back towards .this end of the guide bar andvencounters a 'pin 'f2 upon the contact blade f. A spring g to closea circuit through the insulated core c" of an electro-magnet i which retains thecontact blade g in the closed position, against the action of a springga. y

The pivoted blade g is provided with an armature gt facing the core i ofthe electro magnet which is energized by the` closing of the circuit. Consequently when the tonearm reaches the appointed end oiits backward travel and the striker meets the contact pin L(/2,`the magnet circuit is closed;.the

contact blade g is retained in this posit-ion until the contact 1s opened at 7.

In the constructions illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, the needle 7c is raised during the return of the tone-'arm c ,byk meansio .a magnet Z energized in series with the above men-A tioned circuit, and allowing they needle to n descend again uponthe disc c as this circuit Z and pole ypieces Z2 shaped to the contour oi"y an armature ,70? otmagnetic material secured upon the sound box 1`-` The latter is mounted upon a swanneck iitting 7c3 which is pivotally attached tothe tone-arm e` in the usual manner. A regulating lscrew m3 passing throughthe support m andengagingan arm e4 rigidly -connected. to the clip e2 allows the position of the magnet-m to be accurately 4adjusted in relation `to the sound-box. y

Energization of the magnet Z will therefore yattract -the armature 7a2 and raise theA sound box 7c vso as to elevate the needle 7c from the surface of the record c. In this position the tone-arm.mayvbefreely moved across the record disc fort-he purpose of return to the 'starting point. p

Figure v6 shows the Amagnet o mounted upon a support p 'attached tothe tone-arm bracket p in proximity to the-pivot of this arm e, and having a hinged armature 0. connected by a wire or cord o2 to the soundboX-c. Thecord @"2 vpasses vover aguide pulley 292 likewise attached to the bracket p, and serves when tensioned -by the attraction of the armature o" due to energi'zatio'n of the magneto to tilt the soundbox and raise the needle froi'nfthe surface oi' vthe record. Instead of employing a cord or wire passing over a pulley, a p'ifvoted bar may vbe connected at one extremity to the sound box and at the other to the armati'ir'e of the magnet.

e The return movement is e'ected automatically in the present embodiment of the inven-L tion by a weight n located inside 'the base a and connected by a cord n" passing over apulley n? to the clip e2 upon theV tone-arm. The

Weight is `graduallyraised the forward suitable yifwo 12 3, l and 7) so asto raise the needle ft, the weight u pulls back the tone-arm until the contact member e strikes the pin f2 `upon the stop f, thereby breaking the circuit and allowing the needle to descend upon the rotating record. Alternative-ly the return of the tonearm may be effected by a spring, or other mechanism without departing romthe spirit ofthe 4present invention. A suitable cushioning 'device may be fitted to ensurek a gentle descentot the'needle, or a gentle r-eturnfot the tone-arm. `The magnet may be adjusted to accommodate varying thicknesses of vrecord discs by means of the regulating ,screw ma.

The interval Lbetween the`,raising ot ythe needle and the re-starting'oftherecord may be reduced by increasing the speed ot travel ofthe tone-arm, but in cases where this interval is a material drawback, as ,in `the casel of dance-music, the interval may be lled by the product-ion of suitable sounds, preferably in timewith vthe lmusic of the record.. These sounds may be caused by electrical bells. or buzzers controlled by the magnet circuit during the return of the, tone-arm, or

controlled by using the sound-box andmagnet m as contacts. ,Y p

' In Figure 2, an electrical buzzer gv of the Klaxon type, loperated by va battery B, is controlled by a revolving commutator gr comprising a number of insulated. discs 1" having contact,r segments r2, electrically connected to thespindle Brushes s bearingupon the discs rt makecontact successivelyas the spindle revolves, thereby operating the buzzer. lThe spindle 713 may be rotated by an electric or other motor, vpreferably with means Vfor synchronizing its speed Vin time with the record being reproduced, For this purpose an4 adjustablerheostat may be employed andconnected Atothe governor of the springv motor 't which worksth'e gramophone. By way of example the spindle yr3 is shown in igure 2 as connected to the clockwork of the spring motor Z so asto revolve in suitablerelationtothe record. F igure 8 represents diagrammatically an electric Vmotor uv revolving the spindle 1mg-by meansof worm 'gearing u u2, and havinga variable rheostat .a3 `in series with its field Winding for r,varying the speed of the spindle T8.

Having thus described my invention, '120,

What I 4claim as such and desire to secure by Letters Patent is s l l f l. A ,gramophone controlling device comprising movable circuit control stops, a contact member upon the tone arm traveling between said stops iny accordance withthe v.mo-

tion of the reproducer for mechanicallyfac'-` tuating the stops, 'electro-rnagnetick means for raising the reproduoer lromthe record, switches controlled by said stops and connected in serieswith thecircuit fof said elecswitches closed after its mechanical opera tion and until released by the operation of the other switch, and means Jfor returning the reproducer to an earlier point in the rec-` ord during the reproducer.

2. A gramophone controlling device comprising movable circuit control stops, a support for said stops establishing circuit between the same, a contact member upon the tone arm traveling between said stops in accordance with the motion of the reproducer for mechanically actuating the stops, electro-magnetic means for directly attracting and raising the'sound box of the reproducer from the record, switches controlled by said stops and connected in series with the circuit of said electro-magnetic means, an electromagnet in said circuit for maintaining one of said switches closed after its mechanical operation and until released by the operation of the other switch, and means for returning the reproducer to an earlier point in the record. s

3. A gramophone controlling device comprising stops, a support for said "stops, a mechanical contact member upon the tone arm traveling between said stops in accordance with the motion of the reproducer, electro-magnetic means Jfor raising the reproducer from the record, switches actuated by said stops, one of saidk switches being normally closed and the other normally opened, and the engagement of said contact member with said stops reversing the position of the restoring movement of said respective switches, means for maintaining the normally open switch in closed position after reversal until the opening of said normally closed switch, a single electric circuit connected in series with said raising means,

switches and maintaining means, and means for returning the reproducer to an earlier point in the record.

et. A gramophone controlling device comprising adjustable stops, a metallic support for said stops in circuit therewith, a striker arm carried by the tone arm and traveling between said stops, electroanagnetic means for raising the reproducer Jfrom the record, mechanically operable switches controlled by said stops andk connected in the circuit oi said electro-magnetic means and with one another through said support, an electromagnet in said circuit operating to maintain one of said switches closed until operation of the other switch, and means for returning Vthe reproducer to an earlier point in the record. f

5. A gramophone controlling device comprising opposite circuit controlling switches, a striker traveling between said switches in accordance with the motion of the reproducer, an electro-magnet mounted upon the tone arm in position to directly attract the sound boX of said reproducer as an armature, a source of current connected'in series with said electro-magnet and switches, said switches being operated alternately by enw gagement of said striker, means for main taining one of said switches closed until the operation of the other switch, and means for returning the reproducer to an earlier point in the record.

V6. A gramophone controlling device comprising opposite circuit controlling stops, a

striker traveling between said stops in the f motion of the reproducer, electro-magnetic' means for raising the reproducer from` the record,switches carried by said stops, said,

switches being connected in series with the circuit of said electro-magneticrmeans, an. y'

electro-inagnet having a core disposed to maintain one oi said switches in closed position when mechanically actuated by a switch member upon one of said stops, and means for returning the reproducer to an earlier point in the record. f

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR FREDERICK RICHMOND COTTON.

Witnesses: n

` VICTOR F. FEENY, CYRIL J. FEENY. 

